Time Affords No One Life
by Lavenderpaw
Summary: You believe you are more deserving of this life then anyone.Yes,it's all right here.Your path these last few years has been one riddled with foolish endeavors.Perhaps it would benefit you to observe an existence where mentioning your name turns no heads.
1. The crash

**Prologue**

_Afford:_To supply,to give,to provide.

Five weeks after the takeover...

The cool breeze swept his ash brown hair away from his shoulders,tingling his forehead and causing his fingers to only loosen slightly in Mai's who he felt gaze upon him intriguingly.

"What is it?"

"Hmm?What is it what?"

His back stayed to her."What are you thinking about me?"

There was an awkward moment where neither one spoke. But he knew that once Mai spoke it would be in all honesty.

"You aren't yourself,"she finally admitted.Zuko kept his eyes out on the pond below as she continued."Should I ask why?"

He continued to stare until his eyes strained so much he had to blink.Looking to make sure they were alone,he faced her.

"What could I tell you that you haven't already assumed."

Mai sighed roughly and strolled forward towards the end of the bridge."Mind reading isn't my specialty.Zuko,you've never been so wrapped up then you have in these last few weeks."

"It's called deep thinking.Everyone does it."

"There's deep thinking and then there's paranoia,"he felt her arms encircle around him and her cheek on his forearm."I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear.You're not well."

The whole sensation of her physical touch and the grating of truth residing within her soft spoken words made him cringe.

"Zuko?"She said in surprise.

"I need space.If my spawned sibling asks,tell her I'm dead."

Mai reached instinctively out to take his hand,as if afraid his sardonic words might come true.Instead of a reassuring little squeeze,Zuko reached up and touched her beige oval face.

"Time afforded my life before,it will afford it now."

Over the bridge he went,passed the cistern where moss was collected on the fringes and on toward the archway of stone that lead out into the delicately tended flowered landscapes.

Mai kept watching that whole time and closed her pale gold eyes only to find his figure gone when they re-opened.Along with a resounding crash that quickly followed his departure.

To be continued...


	2. Delusion

His head throbbed atrociously.With every thin,pinching on the temples he wondered the same things._Why do I feel the need to keep moving on,why do I feel like everything is wrong_?

Every day hung before him.No one different.The life Zuko lived was just a procession of disappointments.Whenever anything good happened to him it was always taken away.

And the loss only grew deeper.From a small hole into a pit of infelicity inside.He inhaled sharply when he sensed presence.

"Mai?"

Long,stubbed finger tips graced his brow and to the teen's comfort the pain slowly rose away.Clearing his scattered mind.Down his shoulder the slender hand trickled it's way.

Zuko shivered slightly when he felt his hand being clutched and wariness of this stranger began._Open your eyes and see._

"Open your eyes."

Moaning,he did as was requested and saw the studs of silver twisting up with furls of black leather on his shoes.Everything seemed in order except that there was no solid earth beneath.

And he was standing up.Had he not been lying down?

"Ahh!"he stumbled backwards on white abyss.Zuko reached and writhed soft cloth between his hands,cloth of a long robe.

Whirling around revealed a tall figure palliated in shawls that covered over his head and draped to the milk white universe.

The two stared at one another for the longest time.With only silence as his guide,Zuko searched the darkened interior for a sign of eyes.None appeared and he brought his hands before himself.One was up higher then the other and there he stood.

"Go ahead.Try and advance on me."

This individual regarded him patiently."You believe you are more deserving of this life then anyone.Yes,it's all right here. Your path these last few years have been filled with danger.

And completely riddled with foolish pursuits.Perhaps it would benefit you to observe an existence where the mere mention of your name turns no heads."He started circling Zuko slowly.

In no big rush and with not the slightest intention to harm him.

"Where are we?"His eyes moved side-to-side."Let me go."

"I do not possess that power.Only you do."

"You're the only other one here.Obviously,you know how to get from wherever this is back to the real world.Now speak!"

Zuko didn't pause when he caught the person's position and made a swift jab behind him.His fist was alive with a red aura that misted into a thin heat wave but he did not strike with it.

"To answer you,"he pointed to Zuko's eye,causing the uneasy Firebender to erect himself."Where we are compares to the white of the eye.Where we are headed is to the middle ring."

"What in blazes are you getting at!?"

A horror-stricken gasp and the emotions fueling Zuko were drained from him like the river in a canal,only his mind stayed.

"You will observe life without your birth only in the status of understanding.Not in acknowledging and then I will decide."

Bursting reality gripped the two bodies and thrusted them into a place that was adverse from reality but not far from truthful.

x.x.x

Ty Lee held her close upon the wine red armchair,giving the other girl a steady rock to cease her shaking.That was all Mai had done for the last few hours.Was to quiver and quiver still.

"They're all gone now,"her friend assured."Were alone,Mai."

She pulled back,dry-eyed yet dazed."I can't leave him alone."

"Mai..."

"I can't!"

With a sharp toss,Ty Lee was sprawled out upon the floor in a state of shock.Mai viewed the other girl coldly,not just with impassiveness.She was a cohort of Azula's,she was to blame.

"You can't fool me."her words sizzled."You had it out for us!"

"What?"

"That's right.You just stay right there and don't move an inch."

Mai backed to the strong wooden door and kept her eyes on Ty Lee the whole time."Stay away from his room at all costs."

She didn't respond.Her friend was delusional in accusing.

"_Understand_?"

Her silver gaze was steady."I understand we need to talk."

Uncaring anymore,Mai gathered herself and left to see Zuko.

Ty Lee sighed,positioned herself on her head and meditated.

To be continued...


End file.
